Our Despatches from the Front (No. 95).
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Experiences of a Workshop Unit. With a Bridging Train.
FRANCE,
-Tune, 19W. (Continued.) Every day after this houses were shattered around us and the toll of wounded and dead was exacted. About 5 p.m.' another fellow and I would stroll down the lanes near by and watch the shells falling near where we had left. That is, when possible to get away. When not possible we would wait at the back to hear the report of the gun and take cover in the front. The shells went up so high in the air that the sound of the report overtook the falling shell, so that we were forewarned of its imminent arrival. It became quite interesting to listen for the report and go chasing for shelter. However, we were always glad when our turn came to go to the advanced dressing station; much nearer to the firing line, but seemingly and in reality for the time being much safer.
Shelling an Ambulance Base.
A curious coincidence occurred. Our ambulance has been very fortunate in the matter of casualties. A day or two afterwards at our hospital in the large town which was situated near to the station several men were standing at the entrance, when a shell came over (intended for the station doubtless) and killed a woman and child paasing and severely wounded several of our men. When we were hack to our base this shelling continued, and we began to think our luck was dead out. However, nothing further occurred, and we had all the excitement without sustaining casualties.
B.E.F., ,Tune 17th, 1916.
I had a very pleasant and uneventful trip across, which, of course, was some while ago, and we trekked up country and, as it were, housed ourselves as comfortably as possible under the circumstances.
Roadmaking with Clinker.
Our first job was roadmaking, in and around our village, and I have succeeded by the aid of 1011 tons or so of clinker, etc., in making a very respectable site for our workshops on the one-time village green. It is a grand spot—oblong, and surrounded by a double rOw of trees, the inner rows of which have been trained and trimmed so evenly that it is practically a wall of green just high enough for our lorries to go under ; the nearness of the village church adds to its charm. The green itself, originally grass, but oblite
B22 rated long since by the tramp of countless feet, was a quagmire on our arrival, but now is a respectable, well-drained surface, which comfortably bears our little giants without their sinking up to the hubs, as was once their habit.
No Work, but Occasional Fatigues.
This "push "—all things are called " pushes" out here now, is a reserve on wheels, so we get no work at all to perform of any note except occasional fatigues. The mechanical side has therefore been very slack, as there is nothing to repair.
The O.C.s Varied Duties.
I myself have been everything from incinerator maker to designer of Primus stove ovens out of fivegallon oil drums. I do anything and everything ; I am 0.0. Workshops, Mess President, and have a few H.Q. lorries from one of our sections to supervise as well iii addition, if there is anyone wanting an odd Job or two doing, " Workshops " is their first cadge. I live in hopes though, and one day may see us in the van ; well, if notiguite in the van, good runners-up anyway.
Superintending Dug-outs and Gun Emplacements.
I am happy to say I have had a taste of actual warfare. I spent a fortnight in a very hot corner superintending dug-outs and gun emplacement digging with 30 of our men—loaned out as it were. It was very unkind of the Boches to loose off an hour's. solid "battery fire" at one of our batteries on the very first night of my arrival.
Things that Walk in the Night.
I had bivouacked with the officers, to whom I was temporarily at-. tached, on a bank at the edge of a wood, and had just got comfortably settled, having mainceuvred my sleeping bag to keep the incessant rain out as much as possible, got tired of chasing away rats, and decided to put up with mosquitos, gnats, spiders, and any other old creeping thing that Walks in the night, when it happened. I must say I was not prepared for its suddenness, and, personally, I consider it was a dirty trick, as it necessitated our hasty descent into a rain hole by the roadside, the only available cover ; needless to say, it was ankle-deep in mud, and there we stopped for a solid hour while the 5.9's rained overhead. Wet under
foot, grit down our necks, cramp in our joints, and then somebody dropped the cigarettes—oh, fate !
The Damage Caused by Modern Arms.
When the bombardment ceased as suddenly as it started, we " tea'd," and found by the light of the breaking dawn that the shells, all of which for an absolute certainty had fallen not more than 30 yards round our funk hole, had been aimed and had fallen in the vicinity of a battery at least 400 yards away. It is a very celebrated battery that had been favoured. I went over and looked round it ; it astonished me that it had not been blown sky high. It was my first view of the enormous damage that modern arms can cause, so perhaps I am -unduly im, pressed, but I raise my hat to those gunners ; they have withstood these attacks for five months, and may their luck continue.
The Fringe of Battle Whets Your Appetite.
During the fortnight I was in their vicinity I ,often watched the bursting shells during the day and I Wish I had an abler pen mate adequately to describe it Itwas a cheery time indeed. You have no idea how being near the fringe of
battle whets your appetite. It's life, real joyous life with all its hell.
Our mess, which we constructed after, deciding that our original site was not so healthy as it might be, was a semi dug-out on a hillackt ft-0m whieh a very excellent view ot the German lines could be obtained a couple of miles away across the river ; some large trees shaded us and it was very comfy ; yes, and we had lights at night, too.
FLANDERS,
June. 1916. I am again with the 'Expeditionary Force in France, this time with a bridging train. The mechanical transport of this train is composed of 28 F.W.D. lorries, each of which is employed to tow two pontoon wagons, the weight in all amounting to about. six tons. We also have two Peerless workshop vehicles, -whichiare fitted With Austin engines for working the lathes, two Saurer stores lorries, two Sunbeam light ears of 12-16 hp,, and .six Triumph motorcycle.
Good Running of F.W.D.s.
When leaving our home base, we had about .120 miles of running to do before reaching the port of departure. The only trouble we had on this run was that two big-ends, gave out owing to the fact that the lubricating oil got very thin. Bat for this minor trouble the whole column ran very well, and I should say the vehicles averaged about 10 miles to the hour for the whole journey. I consider this very good running for F.W.D. lorries towing two wagons laden with pontoons as well as a quantity of stores.
Gearbox Inspection.
After an uneventful -trip across the water, we. landed in France. We had to cover about 100 miles before reaching our base, and I certainly thought we should have experienced some trouble, especially as I knew from, former experience of the difficulties which existed. Upon arrival at our destination, an inspection of gearboxes took place. They were found to be in good condition, and the gear changing could be accomplished without hardly any noise. We had had a lot of trouble with the hand brakes, but our workshop staff was soon able to remedy this difficult. When we were in England, we found that some of the men could not swing their starting handle owing to thetfaet that it was not quite-long enough. The drivers used to get over the difficulty by resting one foot on the step, and jerking the handle down with the other. However, the handles have now been lengthened, so that this procedure is unnecessary.